Live A Life That Matters
by realJane91
Summary: A Life of Regina Swan-Mills is falling apart after the event of a year later. It caused her to think what she did to her family after her seventh wedding anniversary with her wife, Emma Swan-Mills. Will she save her marriage and family? Or, she let it fall apart? -No FairyTale AU- / -SwanQueen AU-
1. Chapter 1

One year later after 7th wedding anniversary, Regina didn't pay attention to her personal life and went busy as usual. She didn't realize that her life was falling apart since their wedding anniversary. It just happened when she got home from work daily. The brunette woman got herself in a wake-up call when she saw herself in her mansion.

Regina stared at the foyer and walked through to the living room then kitchen. She looked around herself to see the furniture being different than she bought for Emma's birthday or kids' Christmas gifts. The brown-haired woman dropped her leather case on the kitchen counter and explored in the living room.

The living room was different than before. There were no toys and video games. It got her out of the blue when she arrived. The furniture was white before but now it was black leather couches. The coffee table was glass then it was wooden table. The television resized bigger. Everything changed since she got there to see it.

The brunette mayor turned around to see the dining room and the table was resizing smaller. Last time, she was dining with her family and it was bigger to have ten chairs. Now, it was four chairs in a square table. Regina blinked several times and decided to escape toward her shared master bedroom.

* * *

After arriving in the master bedroom, the bed was made but untouchable. It put Regina into a shocking moment. She looked around in the room and it was no change at all but Emma's clothes were still there but half of them were missing. She thought that the blonde sheriff got them as her spare clothes in the police station.

Regina finally looked at their shared couch and saw the red leather jacket lying on the arm. She reached to touch on the leather and rubbed on it. The brown-haired woman exhaled deeply and almost walked out until she spotted the picture of her family. Emma was not smiling while the kids were beaming their smiles at the camera at the fair. Regina looked closer on the date and it was few months ago.

It hit her like a tornado was coming to her. She missed everything in a year and went to focus on her mayoral business as usual. The brunette woman didn't pay attention to the blonde sheriff's needs and even the kids too. It made her heart go up in her throat and caused her to walk out of her bedroom until she passed to see her son's bedroom.

Henry's bedroom was changed. The bed was twin bed until it was a full bed with the black headboard. The desk was very neat. The bookcase was full with the writing books and chemistry books. It was just his books and homework. No comic books and toys or video games in his bedroom were there. The wall was same in a blue color. There were the pictures of Henry's board. It was the picture of his family and the girl who was kissing him.

Regina covered her mouth by using her hand and retreated out to her daughter's room. It surprised her out of the blue. It was changed too. Before the bedroom was changed, it was a lot of the princess things. Remma changed everything to the art bedroom. She didn't realize that she didn't give her a permission to paint the walls with her art. The pictures were same as Henry's and Emma's. The quote was above the black full bed. It said, 'I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality. – Frida Kahlo.'

It hit her pretty hard when she remembered she was caressing her daughter while she was having a bad dream. Now, she was not there for her kids. Regina retreated again to the stairs but heard the footsteps and voices in the hallway toward the kitchen. It was her family. She smiled at her memory when the family yelled for her name and they were home to smell the dinner. Now, it was this time when the family didn't call for her. Regina felt upside down and missed the feeling when her family informed her that they were home.

* * *

She went downstairs to check in the kitchen and entered. Henry, Remma and Emma looked up at her with their shocked faces. Regina looked at her kids and wife with a perplexed face. Remma was a little bit taller like her wife. Henry was like her height but a muscle and thin man. To her wife, she looked beautiful but her hair was cut to be shorter. Her clothes were now pantsuit and there were no sheriff's badge and gun holster.

Regina blinked several times and stared at her wife's belt. She looked up at her wife's blank look. Remma was dropping her backpack and turned around to pick the vegan meal from the diner. Henry picked up his vegan meal and looked back at his mama then gathered his sister to the dining room. Emma dropped her meal on the kitchen counter and turned around to get their drinks.

The brown-haired woman was confused when her family was currently eating the vegan meals but there were no meat or seafood. She looked up at the cabinet when Emma opened and it was full of vegan meals. She realized that she was missing every moment in the kitchen with her kids and wife.

Emma glanced over at her and grabbed her dinner to the dining room with her kids. Regina sighed and went to get something from the refrigerator. She opened the door and saw everything in a vegan meal until she saw the salad. The brown-haired mayor grabbed it and searched for a dressing. There was a balsamic but no Italian or ranch at this time. Regina dressed it up in her salad and picked her fork from the dry rack. Before she entered the dining room, she heard the voices from the kids.

"Mom, are you ok?" Remma asked.

"Yes, mom. Are you?" Henry said.

"Yes, sweethearts, I'm good. Tell me about your day?" Emma spoke lightly. It got Regina relieved and knew that everything was okay. She finally entered until the kids looked up at her and went silent. Emma got a little tense after her wife came to sit down beside Remma and Henry.

* * *

Henry looked up at his mother and sent her a small smile then went to eat his vegan meal. Remma played around with her quinoa rice and green vegetables then ate it quickly. Emma exhaled deeply and ate her vegan meal consisted of Pasta with Green Olive Pesto. Henry's vegan meal was Smashed White Bean with Avocado Club. The blonde woman looked up at her kids and continued.

"Remma, tell me about your day?"

"My day was great. Guess what?"

"What?" Henry said while nibbling on the avocado. Emma smiled at her daughter and nodded. Remma glanced over at her mother, Regina and spoke lightly.

"I just asked her out for a spring fling date."

"That's great!" The brunette man gently punched on his sister's arm and she chuckled with a nod then looked back at her blonde mother.

"Can I go?"

"Yes, sweetheart. You can go with your girlfriend. I'm happy you did. When is it? I am getting confused with your two events. Henry, you are having a prom soon. And yours, it is a spring fling."

"My prom is next two weekends. Hers is next weekend." Henry explained. Emma nodded with a thanks. Regina was surprised that she missed every events between her kids and kept eating her salad meal while listening to her kids' days. The blonde woman smiled at her daughter and looked up at her son. He chuckled while chatting with his sister and dropped a club sandwich on the plate then explained.

"I just asked my girlfriend to be my prom date. She said yes."

"Duh, she is your girlfriend. I am happy. What are you wearing?"

"I don't know, sis. It's a theme that is bothering me."

"What is the theme?" Regina asked. Henry and Remma looked back at her. Emma gently cleaned her mouth with a napkin and continued.

"It's a Winter Wonderland this year. Henry, I hope you have your blue or white tuxedo in your closet. I can sew or bring it to Kathryn."

"Thank you mama." Henry voiced while staring at his brown-haired mother. Regina felt uneasy when her son was staring at her. Remma cleared her throat and looked back at Emma with a reply.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that I am having a sleepover today with my friend, Ali. Is it ok if I can go?"

"Yes, it is a Friday and sweetheart, I don't forget it. Her mother called me this morning while I was at work."

"Great! I finished my dinner and I'm going back to my bedroom to pack up. Please let me know if Ali get here." Remma explained while getting up to get ready. She kissed on her blonde mother's cheek and gave a nod to Regina then left the dining room. Emma looked back at her son with a questioning look.

"Sure. What about you, Henry?"

"I am supposed to pick up Violet and we go back to high school for the football game. It's a final game." Henry broke his eye contact with his brunette mother and continued.

* * *

"Go." Emma said. Henry stood up and gathered his sister's and his plate to the kitchen then ran upstairs to get ready for a night. The blonde woman got up and gathered their drinks then went back to the kitchen. It left Regina alone in the dining room. She exhaled deeply and finished her meal then went back to the kitchen. Emma was drying the microwave plates and continued.

"It's been a year. Where have you been?"

"Work and Home." Regina said.

"No, you're drifting apart after our anniversary." The blonde woman turned around to face her and voiced. The kids stomped their footsteps on the way to the front door and closed it. The ladies heard it and the brunette mayor scratched her hair then stated.

"What happened to us?"

"No, it happened to you."

"Well, yes. I see that. And, it is not helping –" Regina paused when she saw the woman walking to them. Emma looked at the black-haired woman with a smile. The brunette woman was feeling uncomfortable and looked at her wife then back to her. The black-haired in a floral dress was smiling at them and continued.

"Hello Mrs. Swan-Mills, I've been cleaning up in the garden and it's cleared. It's taken care of. So, what's else do you want me to do?"

"It's fine. Thank you for looking over at our house, Maria. You've been generous today. So, you can take a week off to spend your time with your family." Emma said. Maria nodded with a smile and looked at the brunette woman with a nod. She finally left the kitchen to leave the ladies alone. Regina stared at Maria's retreating and back to her wife.

"Maria is Remma's nanny and our gardener since I hired her last year."

"So, what's going on around this house?"

"You missed a lot of moments since you've been away to do something." Emma said while retreating out until they heard the doorbell. She walked to answer the door and found her smiling. Regina followed her along until she was surprised that it was Ursula, her dearest friend.

* * *

"Hello Emma! Are you coming with us for Ladies' time?"

"Sorry, I've been busy lately so, perhaps another time."

"All right. Oh, I didn't see you! Hello Regina and it's been a long time."

"Ursula!" Cruella de Vil yelled from the black Land Rover Sports SUV. Regina looked over Ursula's shoulder and went surprised as well. Emma chuckled and yelled back.

"Cruella!" Ursula laughed and looked back at her with a reply.

"I will be there soon. Be patient, sweetheart."

Cruella waved her hand and looked through the window. The blonde woman waved her hand. Ursula gave them a farewell and ran back to the passenger seat. The ladies drove away from the driveway. Emma shook her head and closed the door then heard Regina's voice behind her.

"Is Cruella and Ursula together?"

"Yes, they are married."

"Wow."

"See, you have been away for a year. We took it as a hard time." The blonde woman said while retreating to their bedroom upstairs. Regina followed her along until they entered. The brunette woman sat down on the bed and looked up at her wife with a retort.

"I see you leaving your red leather jacket. No sheriff's badge and gun holster."

"I resigned last year and took my time to take care of our children plus a new job. I handed my position to my father."

* * *

It went silent. Emma was doing her things to change her clothes and went to bathroom to freshen her face and brush her teeth. Regina stared at her wife's back and watched her doing anything until the blonde woman's voice was heard in the bedroom.

"I'm a CEO of my business outside of Storybrooke. I have my flexible schedule since I got home daily to see our kids in the afternoon. Henry's duty to pick his sister every day. I come home to take care of them when Maria is not here. Sometimes, she stays there until I get home at late afternoon. I've been doing this one for a long year since you are not there to help me."

"I'm sorry." Regina said.

"Sorry doesn't cut you back. To be honest, what happened to you? Where is my wife? Where is their mother? We surely needed you at most but now, we don't need you since we took care of ourselves from now on." Emma stated while putting her grey sweater. The brunette woman looked down at her hands and saw her engagement ring. It was three birthstones consisted of Remma, Henry and Regal's birthday month. Her wedding ring was shining brighter and it was Emma's birthstone with the embraced diamonds around the oval design. It put a thought in her head and voiced her concern.

"Where is Regal?"

"She died last year due of a tumor." The blonde woman stated while writing on her paperwork in her guest bedroom. Regina didn't pay attention to herself while she was following her wife along until they were in their guest bedroom and blinked when she was in it.

"This is a guest bedroom."

"Yes, now it is my bedroom since last year." Emma explained while doubling-check on the financial budget. The brunette woman looked over at their shared bedroom and continued.

"Why aren't you in our bedroom?"

"I couldn't sleep since that night you were not home. So, I decided to sleep in here and got used to it. What's else?"

"It is annoying when you don't use our eye contact while we are talking." Regina said. Emma looked up with a small smile and dropped her pen on the paperwork then raised her eyebrows. The brunette mayor sat down on the bed and continued.

"Tell me what's going on with you?"

"I don't tell you what's going on with me. You tell me what's going with you." The blonde woman retorted back. The brown-haired woman growled while throwing her hands in the air then continued.

"I was busy as a mayor and coming home."

"No. you were not home since last year. You stayed there in your office every night. I came up to check on you every day before I went to work as a sheriff. Now, you are here for the first time when you got home today. Our kids suffered because of you and your business as a mayor. They needed you as a mother. I needed you as my wife. But you aren't home as our mother and wife."

"What?" The brunette woman stated.

"Yes, you were not home at all. You closed yourself in there. Until few weeks later after our wedding anniversary, I halted to come for you in your office to check up and I left the police station to resign my position. You didn't care to check up on the paperwork that my father handed you on that day. You didn't come to our family dinners as usual. We changed our meals." Emma continued with a chuckle. She was staring at her brown-haired wife. Regina shook her head and inquired.

"I noticed. There are no meat and seafood."

"We are vegans since you aren't home. Maria was there to take care of our kids since the beginning. Also, you missed our eighth wedding anniversary, by the way." The golden-haired woman spoke lightly while looking down on her paperwork. The brunette woman gasped after hearing their wedding anniversary. She felt doomed and escaped to her shared bedroom. Emma didn't bother by looking up at her or hearing her footsteps stomping on the way to their bedroom.

Regina barged in the bedroom and looked around until she saw the calendar on the wall near the nightstand. She came closer to look on the date and it said, December 15. The brunette woman slapped her hand on the wall and missed their eighth anniversary on December 12. She exhaled deeply and sat down on her bed with her hands in her face.

Emma heard the noise in their shared bedroom and stared at her paperwork. Her tear was dripping on her cheek. She continued to work through the paperwork until Henry came home to tuck himself in the bed. The blonde woman finished her work and went out to see her son in his bedroom. The brunette man kissed on his mama's cheek and they bid them good nights. She walked out and strode to her bedroom but halted herself to see Regina crying alone. The blonde woman backed herself off and went to the bed alone.

* * *

 **A/N: It's not going to end yet.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Regina woke up in her bed alone after crying. The morning sun was shining through the window. She turned around to face the clock, it was ten o'clock in the morning. She heard the silence through the mansion and it alerted her that her family was gone. The brunette woman exhaled deeply and rubbed her eyes then knew what to do is take a personal time off.

The brown-haired mayor took her cellphone from the nightstand and pressed the button on her secretary's line at the town hall. She waited for a phone to answer until the secretary greeted her on the phone line. Regina decided to let her know that she took a personal time off for two weeks but asked her to send the paperwork to her mansion on the end of the day. The secretary greeted her with a goodbye.

Regina got up, took a shower and changed her clothes into a casual clothes consisted of a red sweater and blue jeans with black leather boots. She went downstairs and checked in the kitchen. No one was there. The brunette mayor was alone by herself and went to get something to eat but felt like she didn't want to eat. She looked up at the clock, it was ten-thirty in the morning.

In her thoughts, she wanted to fix everything between her wife and her family after thinking what to do overnight from last night with a lot of tears. The brown-haired woman exhaled deeply and decided to see Emma's mother at her house. She retreated out of the kitchen and grabbed her purse and keys.

* * *

After locking up the front door, she turned around to see the Mifflin Street and the people jogged out there. Some of them were running on their errands outside to chat with other people. Her neighbors were inside the house and chatted with their friends. Regina exhaled deeply and went to her Mercedes. She ignited in and drove away from her driveway to Mary Margaret's house in 3 streets after crossing from the Main Street.

She arrived at the adorable English cottage with two stories. Regina turned her car engine off and got out of the car then locked up her car. She walked to the front door and knocked then waited. The brown-haired mayor turned around to see some people who were sitting on the bench and chatting. Some shopped in few small shops. The door opened. Regina faced her wife's mother and smiled.

Mary Margaret answered the door and went surprised that it was Regina out there. She let her come in and closed the door. Regina looked around in the house and voiced with her greeting. The pixie cut woman gestured them to the kitchen. David was there, nursing himself with a coffee and scolding Neal Jr. with the breakfast meal.

The brunette woman was surprised that Neal was a little bit taller than the kitchen counter. He looked up at her with a blank look. The blonde man was pausing his drinking and saw Regina there with his wife then nodded. Mary Margaret encouraged Regina to sit down and heard her voice.

"Hello David. It's nice to see you again."

"Finally, it's about time when you came up in the earth." David said while pouring the coffee in a mug then handed it to Regina. The pixie cut woman sent him a glare and shooed her son to get ready for school. The blonde man sent his apology look at his wife and decided to take Neal out of the house.

"I'm sorry about David and his annoyed talk."

"It's ok. I just came here and to be honest with you, I don't know what to do." Regina said.

"What is it?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Last night, I went home after work. I didn't realize that my family even Emma changed."

"It's been a year. Come on with me, we have to go outside and I don't want you to mope around in my house. Come see the bakery shop."

"Bakery Shop?" The brunette mayor questioned. Mary Margaret looked up after putting her coat on her and gestured her to go outside then locked up the door. Regina went to her car and heard the pixie cut woman's voice. She turned around to see her.

"I feel like I want to walk. Leave your car here and we will be back here after seeing the bakery shop. You have a lot of things to catch up. Come on."

Regina strode back to her and took a walk with Emma's mother. The pixie cut woman exhaled deeply and greeted some people passing by them. The brunette woman didn't recognize some people and saw Leroy who was shoveling the snow on the sidewalk. Mary Margaret looked over on the street before crossing over to the sidewalk.

* * *

The brown-haired woman looked around her town and it was snowing. It was beautiful. In a short time, they arrived at the bakery shop and Regina was confused with the name. Mary Margaret dragged her inside the shop and closed the door behind her. The brunette woman explored in the shop until her caramel eyes spotted on her blonde best friend, Kathryn who was serving behind the counter.

"Kathryn?"

The blonde best friend whipped her head to hear Regina's voice and gestured them to sit down on the counter. She went back to serve the coffee to some customers and sent some waitress to do her part duty. Kathryn threw her apron back in the backroom and ran back to them. Regina was surprised that Kathryn was looking same but gained some weight on her cheeks then spoke lightly.

"You look good."

"Thank you Regina. Hello Mary Margaret, care to have a hot chocolate with cinnamon spread?"

"Yes, please." The pixie cut woman put a scarf off on her neck and answered. The blonde owner nodded and yelled at her waitress to get them the drinks. The waitress nodded and went back to the counter to make the drinks. Regina looked over her blonde best friend's shoulder and saw Ruby who was laughing with the customers then continued.

"Is that Ruby?"

Kathryn and Mary Margaret looked over at the brunette waitress then nodded at Regina. Ruby laughed and finished her duty then brought the drinks from the counter to their table. The brown-haired woman smiled at her. Ruby hid her gasp when she saw Emma's wife and placed the tray on the table.

"Hello Ruby."

"Hello Regina, how are you doing?" Ruby asked. Kathryn looked back at her brunette best friend and heard her voice. Mary Margaret was pleased with her drink and didn't hear everything between her daughter-in-law and best friend.

"I'm doing well. Thank you for asking." The brunette mayor stated with a smile. Ruby nodded and left back to do her duty. Kathryn sighed and crossed her arms on the table while looking up at her best friend with a question.

"How is your business as Storybrooke's mayor?"

"It went well. I just informed my secretary that I am taking two weeks' personal time off. So, as a usual time, the secretary would send me the paperwork when I get home."

"Good." The blonde woman said with a smile. Regina looked around in shop and asked her right away. Mary Margaret was focusing on her drink and kept saying 'ahh'. Kathryn raised her eyebrows when she was asked to explain.

"I thought you were a lawyer but now, you are serving behind the counter."

"I changed my profession. Now, I'm a full time owner of Midas' bakery shop since last year."

"What about Ruby's Granny? Where is she?"

The brunette waitress just passed along the drinks to her customers next to Regina's table and smiled at them then turned around to face them with a reply. Kathryn and Mary Margaret looked up at her. Regina went perplexed when she saw Ruby's expression changed.

"My grandmother passed away last year. Kathryn received her deed to have this diner. So, I am working under her now. So, that is it. Do you want a coffee to re-fill?"

* * *

"Yes, please." Regina said. The door opened. Emma entered with her leather case in her winter coat. Mary Margaret looked over her shoulder and smiled. The blonde woman strode toward her mother and wife. The brown-haired woman looked up at her beautiful wife and smiled at her. Emma glanced over at Ruby and hugged her then waved her hand at Kathryn.

Kathryn nodded with a greeting. Mary Margaret smiled at her daughter and voiced. The blonde woman sat down between them and opposite from Regina's seat. Ruby went back to the counter to make the latte-to go.

"Hello Kathryn, how is the business?"

"It's running perfectly and thanks for asking. Oh, Ruby is getting you a latte to go. I know you are busy as a CEO. So how is it?"

"It went fantastic yesterday. I got few offers. It's almost hammered. Oh, it reminds me that today, I have to leave Storybrooke and stay there for few days." Emma said. Regina raised her eyebrows at the statement that her wife told them. She wondered if she could stay and take care of her kids while Emma was away to do business.

"Mom, will you pick Remma up from school and take her to the art class afterward? I know that you have a lot of things on your plate since Neal was taken away to the kindergarten."

"Don't worry, honey. I have some time for my granddaughter. Oh, do you want me to take her out to the fair tomorrow since it's the Miner's Festival?"

"Well, I will let Regina take care of her since her return last night. She will know what to do then." The blonde woman looked back at her wife while she was speaking lightly. The brunette woman felt her heart clenched at a sight. Kathryn and Mary Margaret looked at her while Emma waited for her answer.

"If she doesn't want to, then it would be you, mom. –"

"No! I will do it. Let me take care of Remma. Since I got some time off from work." Regina explained. The pixie cut woman was not feeling comfortable when it happened to her beautiful daughter's family. Kathryn held her breath until Ruby handed Emma a thermal mug. Emma hesitantly nodded with a small smile.

The blonde woman stood up and caressed her mother's cheek with a kiss. She nodded at Kathryn then kissed on Ruby's cheek and left Regina with a goodbye. Emma finally left with her mug. The brunette woman stared at her wife's retreating body until the door closed behind her.

* * *

It left Regina alone to think about her wife more often. She sighed and looked up at her mother-in-law then asked her to explain everything in a year. Kathryn decided to leave them alone and went to do her duty as an owner. Ruby sent a smile at her and left to serve the customers' needs.

Mary Margaret finished her drink and looked up at her daughter-in-law. Regina looked depressed when it came to her wife's situation on away business. The pixie cut woman sighed and rubbed her hands altogether then continued.

"You want to know what happened in a year?"

"Yes, please."

"After your seventh wedding anniversary with Emma, it got drained in few weeks later. Kathryn just jumped to get her position in the bakery shop since Granny died. Emma decided to resign as Storybrooke's sheriff. It got us in a shocking moment when she announced her event. And, Ruby and Belle just got married after asking Emma to be her maid-of-honor. Now, Belle is pregnant for seven months. And, Ursula and Cruella de Vil came back and stayed here last year after Belle's announcement about their baby. What's else?"

"What about Henry and Remma?" Regina asked.

"Henry just got his girlfriend, Violet. They are together for a year now. Remma, well. I think that it is time for her to explain everything about herself from last year. I rather not to tell you this one. It's a personal thing between you and her."

"Ok, what about Emma? Her work as a CEO? I didn't know that she wanted to be that."

"It was when it began, you stayed in your office and Emma decided to halt her attendance to see you. She was fed up with her work as a sheriff and took her time to take an offer from Portland. Well, it is technically, she lives in there now as David or I to take Remma and Henry to stay over at our house for the weekends. If it's necessary as Emma gets home."

"What? Emma lives in Portland? Why didn't she tell me?" The brunette mayor said. Mary Margaret held her finger in the air and shook her head. It made her understand that it was not her thing to tell her. She went quiet and nodded at her mother-in-law's silence. The bakery shop went hectic since the customers came to take the goods and coffee.

* * *

Until, Belle came in with her pregnant belly. Regina exclaimed after seeing a beautiful pregnant woman walking toward Ruby. She was sure that Mary Margaret told her that Belle was pregnant by seven months. The brunette woman in a floral dress turned around and smiled at Mary Margaret then saw Regina there and continued.

"Hello Regina! It's been a long time to see you."

"Wow, being pregnant looks good on you."

"Thank you Regina. Oh, I'm taking my wife to the doctor's appointment today."

"I can't wait, babe." Ruby said while wiggling her eyebrows. Belle punched her and laughed. Regina couldn't shake the feeling when she watched them playing along as the wives. She wished she could do that with her Emma. Mary Margaret reached her hand and smiled at her. The brunette woman looked at her with a small smile then decided to inform her.

"I think I'm going to see my family. Thank you for everything."

"Oh, tell them I said hi. By the way, you are welcome to my house for a family dinner this Sunday. By this time, Emma will return from work."

"I will." Regina kissed on her mother-in-law's cheek and waved her hand at them then left the bakery shop. Kathryn came to them and looked at them with a reply.

"Will she mend their marriage?"

"I hope so." Mary Margaret retorted. Belle nodded while rubbing her belly. Ruby kissed her quickly and got kicked from her boss. Kathryn giggled. The day got a little better but breezed through their life. In their thoughts, they were worried about Emma and Regina's marriage as usual.

* * *

Regina walked back to Mary Margaret's place and took her time to think about her eight years of marriage. She exhaled deeply while looking at the beautiful family who were laughing in the snow yard. It got her to miss her moments with her family at home since she got to be a mayor. Until, she reached her car and got in the car then drove away to her parents' house.

The brown-haired woman steered left and it was very closer to Main Street. Her parents just moved in Storybrooke before their seventh wedding anniversary and surprised her that they were living there now. Regina was thrilled to have her family being closer to her and she wanted to spend her time with them while she was bringing her kids to meet their grandparents.

The wooden cabin was getting closer. She smiled at herself when she remembered these moments when Remma and Henry threw snowballs at her father. The brunette mayor pulled over on the driveway and got out of her car with a sigh. She closed the door and walked toward the front door then knocked.

It was the butler, he answered the door and bowed in then gestured her after closing the door. He guided her to the living room where Cora and Zelena were chatting. Regina removed her gloves out of her hands and thanked the butler. The redheaded woman looked up and went surprised that her sister came to see them.

Cora turned around to face her daughter and smiled. The brunette mayor came to kiss on her mother's cheek and greeted her sister. Zelena smiled and patted an empty spot beside her. Regina removed her coat and gently put it on the arm then sat down and continued.

"Hello mother and Zelena."

"It's been a long time since your seventh wedding anniversary. What got you here?" Cora said. Zelena reached her sister's hand and rubbed with her thumb. Regina looked at them and silently cried then voiced.

"To be honest, I don't know what to do. I'm lost."

"What's wrong?" The oldest woman asked.

"Emma and the children have changed. I haven't been home lately. What happened to me?" The brunette woman explained while her tears dripped on her cheeks. Zelena sighed and looked back at her mother. Cora exhaled deeply and retorted softly.

"It's been a year."

"What's going on? I kept hearing 'It's been a year' from everyone even you too, mother." Regina threw her hands up in the air and stated with an uneasy feeling. She shot up from the couch and paced. Zelena scratched her jawline and spoke lightly.

"We knew. Even Emma's family. Ruby, Belle and Kathryn knew too. We were watching you and Emma falling apart after the event. To be honest, I don't know what's going on with you lately. Emma kept saying 'it would be fine when you get home.' She kept a hope until it fell apart after few weeks."

"When she got resigned as a sheriff. Well, we knew too." Cora explained. Regina stuttered and shook her head then voiced her concerns.

"What's next?"

"She almost considered to put her marriage in legal dissolution before a year was up. I pledged her to stay on and hold it to her marriage toward you. Now, she just lost her hope. Even her kids who suffered." Zelena said.

"Divorce!?" The brunette mayor shrieked. Cora was startled by her daughter's voice and breathed deeply.

"Yes, a divorce but she hasn't filed yet." The redheaded woman emphasized her statement. Regina has been worrying about her marriage into the dissolution. She kept her pace more briskly then felt odd when she saw her family there in the living room. Her father was not here. It made her ask them again.

"Where is daddy?"

"He passed away last year." Cora retorted while cleaning her lint on her pantsuit. The brunette mayor shakily breathed and felt her sister's hands to guide her to sit down on the couch. Zelena rubbed her hand against her sister's back and spoke lightly.

"You missed your father's funeral. It was exactly after your wife's resignation. I know, it was too much events happening in a year since you missed it. I meant it."

"What happened to him?" Regina asked while looking up at them. The oldest woman put her hand on her jawline and crossed her legs in a perfect pose. The redheaded woman sighed and continued.

"He had a cardiac attack after getting the news from Emma."

"Now, we arranged everything for your father. It is located at Storybrooke Cemetery near the woods and town line." Cora responded. Regina blinked and swallowed a lump in her throat. She was thinking too much about her marriage, kids and her father's death. The brunette mayor needed to go somewhere in a peaceful spot. Zelena saw a glint in her sister's eyes and explained.

"You can go now."

"Ye-s. I need to go. Thank you, mother for telling me. I will be back soon as I can." Regina spoke hastily while grabbing her coat and gloves then kissed on her mother's cheek and retreated quickly. Cora opened her mouth but found it was quickly for her to open up the talk and looked back at her other daughter, Zelena who was worried.

"Will Regina find a time to save her marriage, kids and live a life that matters?" The redheaded woman asked her mother. Cora raised her eyebrows at her daughter and looked away at the window with a retort.

"I hope so. I really liked Emma than that Daniel guy."

"What?" Zelena started to chuckle and the oldest woman joined the laughter with a nod. Most of the Mills family knew that Cora disliked Daniel Stables since she met him for first time. The redheaded woman shook her head at the moment when Cora scrunched her nose while she was formally introduced to Daniel. When it was an event of the day that Regina brought him to home for Christmas from the college.

* * *

 **A/N: It is still not the end of the story yet...**


	3. Chapter 3

After retreating from her family home, Regina got in her car and drove away to her peaceful spot near the docks. She always went there frequently as she took her time to think while in her marriage before the seventh years of wedding anniversary.

She finally got out of her car and looked around if she was not followed. The brunette woman was relieved that she went alone and found a bench that was facing the sea. The brown-haired woman sat down while doing mediating with her breaths.

In her thoughts, it went rapidly from her father's death to her almost failed marriage. She started to cry after receiving the news from her mother-in-law and mom. To herself, she didn't know what to do first.

Regina didn't realize that she was having a panic attack since her wedding day with Emma. It caused her to force herself to use the breathing exercises. Sometimes, she wished her wife could comfort her when she needed her at most.

The brunette mayor stared at the sea and finally calmed down for few minutes. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the sea. No people at the docks or the jogging people passing through on her peaceful spot. It was a breathtaking moment.

It took her to think deeply when it happened on that day while Emma ceased to attend at her office. She opened her eyes and tried to remembered the moment. It was taking her to the timeline and it was happening on before Christmas Eve.

* * *

 **Flashback –**

 _ **Regina was on the call from the conference at Boston. She was busy at this time while her secretary, Joyce was hurrying on the paperwork. The brunette woman was conversing with the staff members on the financial budgets from Boston. They needed her help to mend everything out.**_

 _ **The brown-haired woman was willingly to help them out while she was in her focus on her town's budget. She explained everything deeply. But Regina didn't pay attention when Emma entered with the lunch bags. She was deeply focusing on her work and neglecting her wife's needs.**_

* * *

 _ **One hour later, Regina chuckled after conversing with Boston's government then hung up on them. She sighed and looked up at no one in her office. Then she looked down on her desk and found her lunch bag. Emma left than thirty minutes before she hung up on the phone.**_

 _ **She slapped her hand on the desk and forgot her lunch date with her wife. The brunette woman sighed and grabbed her cellphone but Joyce came in with the paperwork. The brunette woman looked up and found out that the town's budget went chaos.**_

 _ **It caused her to drop her cellphone and she started to focus on the weekly budgets with Joyce. After that budget problems, Regina stayed overnight to finish some paperwork. Joyce stayed behind because she had no family members at her place.**_

 _ **Regina started to chat with her for some stories being a mayor and a wife/mother to her family. Joyce smiled at her and started to work beside her on the mayoral business.**_

* * *

 _ **It began as Joyce realized that she really liked Regina. The weeks passed on, they got closer. The brunette mayor didn't realize that she was dragging toward her secretary's charms and didn't realize that she was not home frequently since she was in her office with Joyce all the times.**_

 _ **One day after few weeks, Emma came to see her wife at the office and planned to inform her that she wanted to resign as a sheriff. The blonde woman smiled at herself because she cooked the lunch meal for both of them and opened the door.**_

 _ **It happened when Joyce was leaning closer to Regina and planning to kiss her on the lips. The brunette woman was not paying attention when her wife came in the office. The secretary finally kissed her on the lips. Regina was out of the blue when she received it from her secretary.**_

 _ **Emma dropped the lunch bags on the floor and left immediately. Joyce leaned backward with a smile. At this time, Regina was very drunk because they drank the cider all night since they were working together on the mayoral business.**_

 _ **The brown-haired woman didn't remember that moment with Joyce then went to sleep on the couch. Joyce kissed her on the lips again and left her alone with the door close.**_

* * *

 _ **As the months passed, the secretary basically flirted with her boss. Regina thought it was nothing because their friendship grew up stronger. She laughed, talked and ate their meals together. It pressured her out when she stayed in the office with Joyce.**_

 _ **David came in her office and saw them laughing. He felt odd when it came to his daughter's wife but kept cool. The blonde man finally handed the paperwork of his daughter's resignation. He smiled at his daughter-in-law and glanced over at Joyce. Finally, he left with his perplexed face.**_

 _ **Regina kept working while laughing at Joyce's stories and finally found her time to keep busy with financial budgets from Boston and New York City. Joyce seduced her at this time while touching on the brunette mayor's arms and got closer to her neck while looking at the paperwork for errors.**_

 _ **The brown-haired woman chuckled at the paperwork while Joyce whispered inside her ear with her husky voice. It happened when Ruby, Belle and Kathryn came in her office to see them. Regina didn't see them. It caused the three ladies to be out of the blue when they saw Emma's own wife with her secretary, Joyce. They finally understood how Emma felt and decided to leave them alone.**_

* * *

 _ **Nearly a month before December, Joyce decided to stop her flirting on her boss because she tried to have an affair with her on Emma. It doesn't work at all. Regina was stubborn to resist her charms and deeply focused on her mayoral business as usual. The secretary finally quit after receiving Zelena's warning. Regina was depressed that their friendship got severed.**_

 _ **Zelena came to see her sister that day when Joyce was there seducing Regina in her office. The redheaded woman was feeling awkward when it came to her beloved sister-in-law. She decided to stay behind and waited in the lobby.**_

 _ **When Joyce finally got out of Regina's office, she faced her boss' sister but didn't know that it was Regina's sister at this time. Zelena grimly smiled at her and angrily spoke to her. It was lucky for Regina that she was not listening to the noise out by her door.**_

 _ **The redheaded woman was dragging Joyce outside in the backyard and yelling at her because it was her sister and her sister-in-law's marriage. Joyce went ashamed because she was feeling guilty when she heard Emma's name in every mention.**_

 _ **Zelena harshly sent the secretary back and made her to clean up her desk then informed her sister that she quit at the period. Joyce nodded and ran back to her desk as she was told to.**_

 _ **The redheaded woman was relieved that she 'saved' Emma and Regina's marriage but she was not sure if Emma was pleased that she helped her out by making Joyce out in the town hall.**_

 _ **Regina was clueless that her sister did it for her wife. She kept going on her duty until she looked up at her redheaded sister with a smile. Zelena avoided her situation with Joyce and sent her a flash of a smile.**_

 _ **They talked through their business. Joyce walked back to them in the office and glanced at Zelena's glare. The secretary informed her boss that she decided to quit and never came back again. The redheaded woman hid her smile while Regina frowned.**_

* * *

 _ **It ended quickly as Joyce left the town hall. Zelena looked through the window in her sister's office. She turned around and informed her right away that she had a business to do. Regina waved her hand in dismissal and heard her voice.**_

 _ **Zelena was telling her that Regina needed to be home soon. The brunette woman nodded and waved her hand in a dismissal then continued to search for a secretary.**_

 _ **Regina got a lot of calls from other cities who needed her help. She delved into the business as usual. The brunette woman didn't realize that she was not home yet for few months. To be specific, she hasn't been home for a year.**_

 _ **The brown-haired mayor finished her paperwork when it came to December. She was exhausted with a lot of business going on in her office since Joyce helped her. It was very slow-processing day for her. She decided to end it quickly because Joyce quit and had no time to finish everything at once.**_

 _ **Finally, she got home at afternoon. It happened from that day to the end when she got there. It has been a year when Regina stayed in the office all the way and didn't get a chance to get out of her office. Because Joyce came to see her with meals when Emma ceased her attendance to take care of her wife. It escalated quickly when Joyce was there all the way from the beginning to the end when she quit being a secretary and left the town hall quickly.**_

 **-Flashback-**

* * *

Regina finally realized that she was drugged by the alcohol and pills by Joyce, her secretary in the beginning. She felt raw because her secretary seduced her from that day. The brown-haired shuddered at a thought and slapped her forehead that she was not paying attention to her wife's needs one year ago. She was neglecting her family's needs.

The brunette mayor stared at the sea and exhaled deeply. She wondered why Joyce quit. She tried to remember the pieces of moment until she gasped. Regina realized that it was Zelena who did it to her secretary.

She slapped her hands on the bench beside her thighs. The wind blew lightly against her face. Regina didn't realize that she was staying outside too long. Because it was still snowing in December. She wondered if she wanted to ask Zelena to explain what happened to her that day and Emma's resignation.

* * *

Finally, Regina decided to go back to her car and heated her up with A/C. She steered around to get home. At this time, the brown-haired woman realized that Remma was picking up by her mother-in-law and stayed after school for her art class.

It gave her a plenty of time when she returned home and took a long soaking bath. Regina finally widened her eyes that she hasn't had a sex with her wife for a year. But firstly, she wanted to have her time with her daughter, Remma.

Because she had no chance to see her kids for a year and wanted to take a chance to rekindle with her kids after she returned for the first time. Regina closed her eyes and remembered when Emma and she went to have her in the hospital.

At this time, Regina was pregnant with Remma. She smiled when her beautiful daughter was coming out of the world for the first time. Emma was excited to have her in their family. It was a time when Emma proposed to her that day when Remma came in their life for the first time.

Henry was happy to see his family growing up and found out that his mothers getting married. After Remma's birth announcement, Regina showed her engagement ring to her mom and Emma's mom. The mothers finally cried with joy.

* * *

The noise alerted Regina to wake up from her memories. She turned around to find Remma and Mary Margaret there by the doorway. She was lucky that the bubbles covered her body.

Mary Margaret informed Regina that she was dropping her daughter at her home then kissed on her forehead and finally retreated out of the house. It left Regina and Remma to stare into their eyes.

The brunette mayor exhaled and gestured her daughter to sit down on the toilet seat. Remma was like her. She had a brown curly hair with emerald eyes. But her facial features were strongly like her. For her curly hair and height, it was strongly Emma's.

"Hello Remma, how was your day?"

"It was fine." The brunette teenager spoke lightly while looking around in the master suite. Regina exhaled deeply and continued.

"Your grandmother told me that you had something to tell me. Any thing you want to add?"

"What's else do I have to say?"

"She said something that you have a girlfriend. So tell me about her." The brown-haired woman explained. Remma shrugged and looked away at the mirror then retorted.

"I have nothing to say. Can I go back to my room?"

"Come on, I am your mother and I want to know but I won't push you." Regina said.

"Well, you want to know about me. Yes, I have a girlfriend. Her name is Lalaine Ripley. She is like my age."

"What's else?"

"I've been out to Mama, Gramma, Grandpa last year before I asked Lalaine out for a first date. So, can I go back to my room?"

"Yes, Remma. You can go but –" the brunette woman chuckled with a reply until Remma left before she finished her sentence. She was talking about the dinner that she was planning to make for them. Henry was away with Grandpa since she got a text from Mary Margaret when she was there with her mother and Zelena.

* * *

Regina finished her soaking bath after getting out of the bathtub. She grabbed her pajamas from her closet and looked over at her wife's closet. It was half missing. She recalled that Emma was living in Portland after resigning as a sheriff. The brown-haired woman walked toward the closet and touched on the flannel shirts on the hangers.

In her thoughts, she recalled about the legal dissolution of their marriage and it caused her to fall down on the ground then sobbed while holding her wife's flannel shirts.

She went panicked after finding out that her life falling apart. In her heart's desire, she wanted to stay with her family and live a life she wanted for her happy ending. Regina kept crying and felt her daughter's hands embracing her.

She heard her voice and it soothed her calm. Remma swayed their bodies and soothed the words inside her mother's ear. Regina was still sobbing loudly while clenching her wife's shirts. It didn't stop her crying to finish her tears.

The brunette teenager decided to lift her mother up and guided her to the master bedroom. Regina felt out of blue when she finally sat down on her bed. Remma turned around and went to get their dinner from the kitchen.

The brown-haired woman wiped her tears and sniffled. She looked up when the door opened. Remma carried a tray for their dinner and spoke lightly.

"I cooked dinner for both of us. Mama taught me how to cook. I'm not sure if you like a vegan meal. We changed our diet plan since you aren't home. So, it is a squash spaghetti with pesto sauce."

"Thank you." Regina said with a small smile. Other nodded and brought a tray on the nightstand then picked a dish and handed it to her mother. The brunette woman was pleased with the food and placed it on her lap.

Remma sighed and grabbed her dish then sat down beside her against the headboard. She looked back at her mother and asked.

"Do you like it?"

"It is tasty. So, I apologized for my breakdown."

"That's ok. I know it was a hard time for you to see it. It was for us too when we had to go on without you. Did Mama tell you that?"

"Yes, some of it. I'm sorry that I was not there to help you, Henry and Emma. I know it is my fault. I don't know how to earn your trust and forgiveness at this time."

"Oh well, you have to work harder to get us back on this track. It's been a year. I don't know how to forgive you like this."

"Let me talk to your Mama for some reasons that I didn't earn yours and others. So, to put them aside, how did you and Henry suffer when I was not there?"

"To be honest with you, mom. We suffered for few months after receiving the news from Mama. We had been begging her to stay on the marriage. For me, I didn't want her to be alone after the divorce. I just hoped that you and Mama stay together. No one took that as granted." Remma put her dish away on the tray as she was speaking to her Mother. Regina was listening to her daughter.

The brunette girl smiled at her and gathered the dish from her mother's hands then brought it away. She turned around and continued.

"I hope you and Mama get everything back in the track and I will be happy if she forgives you or you earn our trust with forgiveness. So, good night Mom."

"Good night, Remma." Regina smiled at her and watched her daughter's retreating body. It caused her to think what to do is earn her wife's trust before her kids. Secondly, she wanted to talk with her wife about the legal dissolution and her work as a CEO. Lastly, to Henry, she wanted to catch up with both of her kids.

The brown-haired woman finally closed her eyes while she was tucking herself in the bed. She was clueless that Remma was conversing with Emma on the phone and she was being watched by her daughter.

* * *

 **A/N: Ohhh.. Regina deserves the big time to work harder.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: It's gaining the words that I babbled. Anyway, this chapter is "a trigger warning". Just saying.**

 **To Guest: Thank you for your many questions toward this story's plot-line. It's not finished yet. I know that I randomly typed on the chapter that it made you confused or didn't understand what's going on between the Swan-Mills family. Now, it is revealed on this chapter. If you are not sure that you really liked this chapter, just let me know.**

 **To everyone who liked/favorited/followed this story, Thank you!**

* * *

 **-Henry's POV-**

Since his mom got home that day, it got him to feel upside down because of the situation where they stuck with an only mom in the house for a year. He just got better after getting a therapy on his own. No one knew that he got in the therapy since the beginning of the situation. He was the only one who knew everything and saw what happened in his sight.

* * *

In the beginning, he grew up with two moms and had his knowledge about his new family member to join his family was his baby sister, Remma. At this time, he was five and the family knew him being conceived by his brunette mother, Regina. The brunette boy always smiled when it came to his birthdays, Christmas and events that he enjoyed with his just two moms. He had no father in his life but got lucky that he got two grandpas who taught him how to play sports or knowledge about many things the men discussed in his living room.

His life was being beautiful since he was conceived by Regina and raised by Emma. They were a happy family and he just wandered in his moms' life while they were dating at this time. He begged them to get married and babbled to everyone in the town about his moms. Henry was very proud of himself being a son to two moms in his whole life. He ignored his desire to have a dad when he saw the man who was comforting his son at the park.

In his mind, he knew that he was raised by some father figures in his life and been seeing by his favorite person, Graham Humbert. They always played the father-son together when he was younger. Until the day, Graham died on his fifth birthday and Henry was clueless that he died on that day when his moms got a call from their friend.

He practically grew up in his blonde mother's family frequently because they always loved Emma's family more than Regina's family. But in that time, Regina was having a family drama with her mother because she was in somewhat phase with her girlfriend. Also, Regina's father was silently supporting his daughter because of her happiness with Emma.

* * *

At same time, Regina was pregnant with Remma after his fifth birthday and brought their happiness again. Henry persistently asked Emma to marry his brunette mother in front of the family in the living room. Some chuckled and others went in shock. Emma got a nudge from him and decided to ask Regina for a marriage proposal in the front of the family. Finally, they got engaged after announcing that they got their second child on the way.

That's why he always asked his moms to do something excited. He viewed Emma as his savior and he was thankful that she got a tough side because she was a sheriff. Then to Regina, he viewed her as his loyal queen and best friend. They always talked through everything he caused the problems in his life. He didn't get jealously in his life because he loved both of them.

Remma was born that day and he finally got connected with her. He was her protector when the events came in the chaos. Henry always watched over his baby sister at school because they went to same area. No one knew why he always protect her at all times. He made sure that his family are ok at some time.

* * *

At his age of seventeen, he grew up protecting his family from some events that caused the problems in his life. Henry got his instincts from his blonde mom because he always went to see her at her work after school. Every time, he asked his sister if she wanted to join for visiting their blonde mom at the station and it happened after that they went to see her. It made Emma happy about seeing her kids stopping by at her work.

Henry knew that his brunette mom got busy being a mayor. Sometimes, he came by himself to check on his mom at the office or meet her secretary if his mom was inside her office. The brunette boy always greeted his mom with a kiss. Regina never got tired of his protection and he always smiled. They always talked through their days and everything.

Until it happened on that day, Henry didn't think that he was planning to visit his brunette mother but instead of going to see his blonde mom after school. He knew that his sister was going with her friends at the club because she was having an organization after school. Henry did check on his sister first before leaving the school.

He finally walked to the station and greeted his grandpa, David on his desk. They always chatted about the football and laughed at some time. When it came closer, the brunette boy spotted his blonde mother in her office and crying. He was confused and knew that something's wrong.

Henry reminisced about his morning routine at his home. He saw his moms kissing on their lips then chatted toward him and his sister about the plans at home when they went home. He analyzed in some thoughts and knew that they had their seventh anniversary few days ago. The ladies just enjoyed their time at the cabin and he didn't want any spare details between them but knew that they were very affectionate to their love.

He was sure that they didn't cause their marriage to separate them or something happened in their lives. But he didn't want to be nosy in their personal lives since he was born in their arms. Henry turned around and informed his grandpa that he would come back soon as he would. David was confused at his information and nodded with a wave of good-bye.

The brunette boy strolled with his greetings on his way to the town hall. In few minutes later, he arrived at the destination and entered with a smile until it faltered away. Joyce was not there at her desk and he knew something's going on in the office and went toward his mom's office until the voices got his attention. Henry sneaked away inside the office and went to hide by the bush so Joyce and Regina didn't see him.

He went in his protection mode and watched his mom talking about her life with Emma and the children. It got him to smile at the memories when it happened that Regina held him in her arms at the moment. Until, he shook his thoughts and heard something that Joyce talked about her life and caught her flirty talk. It turned him off when it came to his mom.

Henry decided to take his protection mode and watched Joyce getting closer to his mom. He felt rage inside him but wanted to jump over the bush and yelled at his mom's secretary. It ended that he didn't do it because he was a coward.

The brown-haired boy decided to take his time to watch over his mom every day after school. He went outside and strolled on his way to home. He was in his thoughts and wondered why Emma cried like that. He decided to ask her when she got home and sighed.

Henry finished his homework after getting home. He heard the door close and knew that it was his sister. Remma sighed and dumped her backpack then went to get something to drink. He looked up at her and informed her that he saw their moms at their work. Remma always got curious about her oldest brother's days with moms since she got busy with getting involved in her after-school programs.

Emma finally got home and dropped her things at the foyer closet. She strolled toward the kitchen and found Henry cooking dinner for them. The brunette boy turned around to see his blonde mom with a smile. The blonde sheriff kissed on his forehead and gave him thanks. Remma was still working on her homework and asked him for help. Henry explained everything in the math while looking at Emma.

The blonde woman looked sad but drifted away in her thoughts. He wondered that he could ask her and decided to ask her right away. After several minutes later, it went silent when Emma looked up at her son. Remma was raising her eyebrow at her brother. Henry grounded himself with feeling any rejection from his mom.

Emma explained about her day at work and visiting her wife at the office. She just got neglected by her wife because Regina went into the focus. Henry comforted her right away after finishing his cooking. Remma put her homework aside and went to help him to scoop some dinner meal in the bowls.

They ate their dinner and Emma decided to go back to bed. Remma was still collecting the dishes and washed them after dinner. Henry decided to stay behind in the living room and wandered in his thoughts. His protection mode was never away when it came to his family. He made sure that he had them in his protection at no matter. His sister came by saying good night and went back to her bedroom to finish her homework before going to sleep.

The brunette boy waited there by sitting on the couch and watched the front door all night. He wondered if his brunette mom came home after work. He always got used to see his mom being a tired mayor and he made sure that she got fed by his cooking and made her to go to bed with Emma after that.

* * *

After 3am, Henry was waiting for his mom to come home but she never came. He knew something's going on with his moms and decided to go back to his bedroom to take something that he wanted to make sure that his mom was protecting by him. He finally came downstairs after checking on his family if they were still sleeping.

The brunette boy opened the front door and closed it silently. He ran to the town hall and saw the light flickering on in the office. Henry tilted his head by his curiosity and looked around if he was not following by someone then continued to trek inside the building. Henry noticed that Joyce was not there being at her desk and saw her purse hooking by the wall.

It was something bad with his mom. He tip-toed by coming to his mom's office and opened the door. Henry noticed the papers laying on the floor and desks. He finally looked up at Joyce who was drinking with his mom. The ladies were chatting about their time. Henry turned around to hide himself behind the potted plant and watched them. He realized that Regina was still drunk by drinking her favorite alcohol.

He smelled it and scrunched his nose. It came at 5am, Regina finally knocked herself out on the couch. Joyce smiled and kissed on her lips after tucking her with a blanket. Henry widened his eyes and knew why Emma was crying because of Joyce. His rage got over-tempered. Joyce didn't notice him and just walked outside after closing the door. He heard the lock and went stuck with his mom alone.

Henry listened to Joyce's footsteps in the hallway and she finally got out of the building. Henry jumped over the potted plant then wandered toward his mom. He tried to shake her to wake up but got no response. Henry looked around in the office and saw the prescription bottles in the trash then went in his investigation mode like his blonde mother.

He picked it up and read it with a gasp. It was Joyce's medication. He realized that his brunette mom was drugged by her. But Henry wanted to tell his blonde mom right away but he forgot his phone back in home. The brunette boy turned around to find his mom's purse and searched through it but it was not here.

* * *

Until, the noise got his attention, he slowly looked up at Joyce who was grinning at him. He froze when it came in his sight. Joyce walked toward him and grabbed his sweater to lean closer against her. The secretary glanced over at the brunette mayor who was still drugged and drunk on the couch and continued.

"If you tell your mom about it, I will come find you and kill Emma myself in front of you and Remma."

"Why did you do this to my mom?" Henry just got his rage and spat back but the secretary threw him away toward the wall. The photo frames came crashing on the floor. Joyce walked toward him and barked.

"I just drugged her with my medication. She got drunk after that. Do you know why?"

"No. You destroyed my moms."

"No. I didn't ruin their marriage."

"Why did you do this?"

"Because I love her." Joyce sneered. Henry just got in his tears while she was snatching his hair harder. It almost torn his scalp. He winced at a pain and tried to talk back.

"No! You don't love my mom!"

"Yes, I do and I always watch her every day since high school. I made a plan to get her as my wife but on the other side, the blonde buffoon came in her life and stole her from me! Regina were my and mine but it is not stupid Emma!"

"She deserved this one better than you! You asshole." Henry spit back with a sneer. Joyce chuckled and shook her head with a reply.

"Did you know that I actually killed your beloved friend, Graham since you were five? Oh yes, I did because I just got Emma off to work on the murder while I was coming to see her that day."

The brunette boy widened his eyes when he heard his childhood friend and let the tears flowing on his cheeks. Joyce roughly held his hair and threw him onto the wall. Henry groaned at his pain when he was hitting on the wall with his head.

The secretary looked back at the sleeping brunette woman and went back to him. He tried to get up and winced in the pain. Joyce's voice was louder at this time. He looked up at her.

"Regina is mine but not your fucking blonde freak. She is worthless at all. I hope she die in hell. Don't worry, I have a plan to get Regina out of here and be with me. So you couldn't find her at all."

"Emma will find her no matter where she goes. She knows everything."

"Oh well, I guess that you plan to tell your blonde buffoon about me hurting you. I don't think so."

Joyce growled at him and roughly gripped him then threw him away to the glass coffee table across from Regina's spot. Henry felt his rib cracking when he was slamming on the glass. It tore his favorite shirt that Regina gave him for Christmas. He felt his eyebrow bleeding and touched it then saw a red spot on his index finger.

She chuckled and sneered while she was grabbing Henry out of the broken glass on the ground then slammed his head on the wall where it was before. He groaned and chucked his bloody fist toward her face. Joyce almost leaped but went to tighten her legs on the ground and screamed when she saw her lip cracking.

Henry almost grinned when he competed the broken face of the secretary but his rage was fuming out of him. Joyce checked on her lips and saw the blood then sneered. He was trying to stand up for his defense against her. Their eyes were in the staring competition. Regina was still stirring but didn't wake up. His voice rose.

"I promise you that Ma will kill you with her gun. You will be dead in any second. I swear that you will be worth her time to kill. I promise."

"Really? Even though, you don't know my plan when I kidnap your beautiful mother. I will be making sure that Emma couldn't catch us even Regina."

"Why is that? I'm aware that they are in love with each other but it's not you. I am grateful for that. Why did you do this ridiculous thing to make us feel miserable?"

"That's my plan! I always wanted to be with Regina and have her as my wife. It's not your fucking blonde mother. She stole my life and my wife! You and Emma rot in Hell!" Joyce screamed. Henry widened his eyes and heard a crack in her voice. She pocketed her gun out of her hidden compartment inside the file cabinet then aimed at him.

"I just wanted to kill you and Emma. After that happened, I will get Regina away from here and she will not remember it all even you and your dysfunctional family. I will make sure that she will remember me as her wife and she will forget you at all."

"How dare you!" He sneered before attacking her gun out of her hand then gave a jab forward on her left eye. She snapped her neck after getting a jab and fell over on the broken glass. Henry stared at her while hardly breathing. She gently looked up after noticing the gun on the floor between her top chest and Henry's footsteps. Joyce immediately gripped the gun and shot toward him.

Henry felt a bang and a blood toward on his leg where the shot was through. He looked down on the floor and saw the red puddle spreading. He finally fell on his knees and looked at her. Joyce slowly smiled and moved away from him. Henry gulped and felt a wet on his pants but knew that he lost a lot of blood since the bullet was fired. He heard the final saying from her and blanked out.

"You will be not remembering it at all. Good night, Henry." It was a blur for a while. He was drooping his eyes and fell on his body then knocked him out. He didn't remember when he was in the hospital immediately after being shot. His memories were gone after the event when Joyce was trying to make his brunette mother to be her wife and run away from the town.

* * *

It was Joyce who was bringing him to the hospital and pretended to be a concerned woman who found him in the street during the nighttime. She cleaned the evidences everywhere inside the mayor's office. She covered Regina sleeping on the couch in her private room where it was opposite from her office. Basically, she was living there for few months. Regina was clueless that she was being watching by her own secretary.

She brought herself to call the police and ambulance to investigate the worthless evidence. Henry was still in his temporary coma and went in the hospital immediately. Joyce watched the event in front of her and saw Emma running toward the nurse's station. She enjoyed her show by seeing the blonde woman being panicked.

She noticed that Emma tried to call her wife on her cell and heard her voice in a rage. Joyce knew that Regina's phone was turning off because they worked through the paperwork all day. It made her feel mischievously even more. The blonde sheriff started to feel anxiety when the doctors came to see her about Henry's condition.

Joyce didn't stay all the way and left for Regina in the town hall. She knew that Emma or someone couldn't find her at all because it was her hidden place that she could live on her own with no money to rent it. Her cleverness is showing off.

* * *

After his recovery, his memories didn't come back and he knew something was up. Henry was frowning while he was watching his blonde mom cooking for him. Remma was explaining about her chemistry book toward Emma. He turned around in the kitchen and knew it was someone that he was familiar. It was the photo frame on the wall beside the calendar. It was Regina, his brunette mother.

He finally understood that he felt something was up and decided to take a fresh air. He walked toward the town hall and saw Regina inside her office. But he was blocking by the securities outside and went into a rage. Joyce got a call from her team and hid the secret away from Regina. She went outside after informing her that her friend was calling her for the emergency. Regina fell in love with her statement and dismissed her.

Joyce came up toward him and smiled sweetly. Henry was gripping by the strong men's hands and sneered. The secretary lowered her chest and voiced.

"Finally, it's about time. I will kill your blonde buffoon tonight while you are taking care by my security. Don't worry. We have time to run away from here."

"Don't you dare!" He said while physically hitting on the security guard's legs. It made others laughing at him. Joyce tilted her head and cackled then dismissed him away. Henry tried to turn around but was taken away. He yelled after his brunette mother's name.

Regina didn't hear him from the outside. It was blocking by the noise activation that Joyce installed it for herself. It made her smile and walked away to take care of her secret lover.

* * *

Henry was in his rage when he arrived home. Emma and Remma went confused when they saw him walking toward the upstairs. The brunette boy neglected their callings and slammed behind him. It shook them out. They went concerned about him. Emma decided to call Regina immediately and informed her that they should talk about everything. Remma heard all about it but went silent after that conversation.

The brunette man was frowning at the family photo frame and went sobbing. He wished that he could remember the event between him and Joyce that night. It took him a long time to remember until before a year was up.

He was in the therapy after chatting with his blonde mom about his depression being a wanted son of Regina. Emma tried to help him but failed at these attempts. Remma was comforting him every day after the school program. Every time, he winced when Joyce was there at the front of the school.

Others didn't notice his behavior for a year and didn't ask him for once. It came to the birthdays and celebrations events when Regina was absent from it. Joyce forced her to work through their special occasions. Henry felt bad for his blonde mom who was working through her shifts as a sheriff and mom to take care of them. Regina was not there but did appear at few events.

Emma went after her wife and tried to get her out of the room for their talk but Joyce interrupted their time for the work emergency. It made Henry to have more rage after Joyce's stunt. The blonde woman didn't notice the secretary's shrewd moves on Regina.

* * *

Few days later before their eighth anniversary, Henry was being careful to watch Joyce and Regina's behaviors and moves after school. He was still burning his flames. When it came to Zelena, she showed up for Regina's eighth anniversary and started to notice that her sister being absent. She was feeling strange when it came to her family.

Zelena walked toward her nephew's room and saw him being withdrawn. She decided to ask him about her sister being absent. He turned around and cried. Emma was on her new job since she decided to resign as a sheriff few days ago. Remma was at her friend's house for a sleepover.

The redheaded woman was feeling bad after seeing her nephew being sad. The brunette boy finally remembered everything in the event when it triggered him while he was entering the office at the town hall. Joyce was not there even his mom too. They were being sent away to the conference in Boston. That's how he found the note on the desk calendar.

Henry was investigating on the office desk and opened the file cabinets then drawers until he found his mom's phone in the small drawer near the fireplace. He turned around and saw the flash in his eyes. It was Joyce who was firing a shot at him and they physically fought at each other.

It caused him to have a panic attack. He was found by a janitor who was planning to clean in the mayor's office. He was brought by the janitor to the hospital. After that event, he was sending himself away to Dr. Hooper for an intake test.

Henry explained everything to Zelena while he was embracing her. The redheaded woman was angry at Joyce and decided to kiss his forehead then sent him to sleep for a nap. He nodded then went to sleep. Emma was not due until late night to get home.

Zelena sent herself away to the town hall after seeing her sister being in the office. It happened when she was there and yelled after Joyce outside the hallway. She finished with her business and went to see Regina for a while. Her observations were analyzing on her sister and found out that she was not same as before. Joyce was drugging Regina while she was there to comfort and flirt with the mayor.

It was making her rage to appear out of the blue. Zelena understood why Henry's story and he was drugged after being shot. The hospital tests were negative because he had no drugs inside him. It was a different and unique drug that it made them knocking them out and didn't remembered everything for a long-term from a day to a year.

* * *

She got back to the mansion and found Henry playing a video game in the living room. Zelena decided to explain about her situation with Joyce. The brunette man was shocked that his aunt had a right to slap on the secretary and lunged after her for a hug. She smiled at their affection and decided to investigate on Joyce's background before telling the police.

Henry decided to beg her that he didn't want Emma to panic or angry at Regina for doing nothing. Zelena was glaring at him and wanted to tell Emma herself. He shook his head and begged her to do same for him because it was not their story to tell but it was Henry's story that it should be told by himself.

The redheaded woman was devastated that she wanted to tell Emma by herself and witnessed everything. Henry begged her once again and finally got his wish. He decided to tell Emma about what happened. Zelena put herself in a risky situation and decided to leave it alone.

She finally left the mansion after saying a goodbye to her nephew. They hugged after sealing on their deal. It was that Henry to tell Emma alone. Zelena would be there to support him as his witness. They agreed to have Emma to sit down and discuss what happened that Henry saw everything.

On the same day, Emma arrived home early and smiled at her children. Remma decided to come back home early after telling her mom. Henry was thrilled to have his sister being home. They were excited to make something fun to eat and chatted with each other about their days.

Until it happened, Regina finally got home on that day. It put Henry in a spotlight when he saw her again after a year. Technically, he saw her around in the events few times but never chatted with her for a short time since Joyce took her under her wing.

It went in a doom for him. He didn't know what to do or say something after seeing his brunette mother standing there in the doorway toward the kitchen. It was quiet at this moment.

* * *

 **A/N: I know... I made Henry being a coward seventeen years old man. But! It's still happening in a bit by bit through new chapters. I hope you really like this chapter. Please give me your beautiful review. Thank you again!  
**


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